Saturday, December 14, 2024

Saka starts, Auba up top: Arsenal v Wolves team news

Arsenal take on Wolves at the Emirates this evening, looking for three very much needed points.

Here are the official line-ups.

Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Ceballos, Xhaka, Willock, Willian, Saka, Aubameyang

Subs: Runarsson, Cedric, Holding, Elneny, Nelson, Lacazette, Nketiah

Wolves: Patricio, Marcal, Coady, Boly, Semedo, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Neto, Podence, Traore, Raul

Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Nouri, Neves, Silva, Vitinha, Kilman

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

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Jules

Should have been Nelson instead of Willian. Oh well. Looks like a back four again though so that’s nice. We need a win. COYG

Naked Cygan

Agree, with Pepe suspended this was the best excuse to start Nelson. I have a feeling Willian will come off at half time.

David C

Great point. I’d also have AMN on bench instead of Cedric and I’d start Holding over Luiz, but Luiz did just become a dad so maybe we get Super Dave Luiz today!

Mick Malthouse

Last chance for Willian in my book.

OnlyBeingHonest

Willian instead of Nelson? Form clearly not relevant when picking a team for the gaffer

Dr. kNOw

Arteta looks like he’s making a rod for his own back…

Let Nelson perform off the bench, first. If he out performs Afroman, and Pepe does the then Mikel will be well and truly backed into a corner as far as the wide berths go.

Biggles

Arteta has no real experience of handling anything like this. You could argue that his half season “induction” wasn’t really a preparation for a PL start that, so far, has been completely underwhelming compared to the (fairly justified) expectation at the start of the season, following the cup win etc. If we get a win today, preferably a “good” win as well, things could begin to turn for the better but if we don’t the pressure will just keep building on him – something he may not be ready for.

Artetas Assistant

He has , and he is matured enough to keep a bunch of top professionals to give him a second opinion in their fields.
He might not be what you expect or how you’ll approach things, but he’s something unique and stubborn at it.

Ordnance Dave

What pressure? This is a mid table, cup run squad. He has this season, then we make an assessment at the end. Just buckle up and be patient. This squad requires major surgery, so be prepared for more pain this winter.

Johnny 4 Hats

I think maybe with Saka and Willock already on the field, he doesn’t want to go too gung ho with the youth.

Having said that, the fact we are 10 games into a three year spell and we are all feeling like this means that if Willian wants to build any bridges between the fans and himself, he’d better start pretty fucking quickly!

Jack

Willian needs to repay his manager today by putting in a 10/10 performance after that dreadful showing at Leeds last week

High gooner

And the dreadful showing the week before that, and the week before that… and the week before that

Gooneytoones

Sticking to the new system no? hope Willock grows into that trequartista role! he’s got something

Frank

If it doesnt work then try, try and try again. Willian??? Why???

The_Golden_Wrigglesworth

Whyllian?

Futsboller

Awesome.

Appels&Pere

Gold

Based on the amount of effort he’s shown at times, he should probably be called Walkillan.

Alex

Borges, Saudia Arabia and the non negotiables…

Reality check

It was Dubai mate, if you are reffering to his trip.. Arab countries have borders you know..

Goonerink

he wasn’t

DPK

Gove over with the Borges reference. Unbelievably childish.

Gooneytoones

That midfield two gonna get worked!! Willock will need to chip in.

efeli

We need to prepare for the worst, it might be our only hope to avoid another horrible experience.

Timorous Me

Not even trying to be snarky about Willian (it would be so easy at this point), but is it smart to start him considering he’s coming off a muscular injury last week, after he was apparently injured with some other muscular thing earlier in the season?

I can’t help but wonder if part of his problem–both in terms of effort and form–could be that he hasn’t been 100%. So maybe don’t rush him back now?

Khandaker

Willian is best but as a young Nelson is not bad

Teryima Adi

No handbrakes , Arteta, please.

Khandaker

We will enjoy the next match.

BODMAS

COYG. 3 Points Please

Biggles

Of course, but we keep on saying that, don’t we? Either nobody is listening or we need to shout! Let’s go with the latter – the former is too depressing.

shokim

Willian should be on the bench. Wish Nelson was starting instead.

Alex

Fed up with Willian’s free pass

Futsboller

He must be the hardest working player in training, because everything else is missing. That’s the only justification, and even then .. puhlease!

Kinghenrythe14th

AMN had Adama in his pocket last time we played Wolves. Wish he is in the team.

This is one opponent I wouldn’t mind playing 5 at the back against with a midfield missing Partey.

Homer

Great point.

Obama Young

AMN didn’t even make the bench. Very curious.

DPK

AMN has been picked ahead of Cedric all season so fairly sure he isn’t available or he would be again

risto

Ceballos and Xhaka!?They just can’t play at this level. Will be easly overrun in MF, like always

Jean Ralphio

I think we will see a more fluid front three with Willian swapping with Willock.

Domi

If Willian was a car, we would ask someone to throw away the keys (and the spare, and the 2nd spare just to be sure) so Mikel could not use it.

Lacaubapepe

Willian must have some Arteta nude photos then!

Biggles

Clearly, we need to win to prevent slipping further behind in the PL. We’re already behind all the other so called “Big Clubs” and – the icing on the cake – a fair few others as well. The problem is that we can’t win unless we score goals – something that has been extremely difficult for most of the season in the PL. There are certainly players in the side selected who can/should score. Let’s hope they have their shooting boots on today (at long last). The big worry for me is that until we get it right consistently on… Read more »

Homer

Thats as poor a midfield as ive seen start for Arsenal in 16 years. And ive seen denilson on the team sheet!

Tony

I don’t see us winning. #Artetaout

Billy bob

I get the feeling that arteta got willian to replace Ozil in being the future scape goat for the fans 🤣 thankfully will-i-aint-all-that is on less wages, shame its still too much!!!

Ilari

A win and we are only 5 points off the top, 2 off top four, after all the shite, COYG!

MattB

‘Willian, Willian, it was really nothing’

Handbrake off please COYG

RedandWhite

Willian again. Ffs

Obama Young

Our last league goal from open play was scored on October 4th. We’ve scored one goal in the last 5 league games. That’s downright disgraceful, and we need to turn that around immediately.

Doghouse

Ok let’s get behind the team Miki has chosen, need to be in front 1st half to gain 3 points otherwise they confidents will be up 2nd half, happy if we get early goal..

Bergkamp2Wright

Anything other than 3 points not good enough. I’m not feeling positive though.

Billy bob

Actually having Willian in the team is like playing with ten men so when Pepe got sent of the other week we did well to get a point with 9 men!!!

IncrediblArsenal

At this point, the only explanation possible is that Willian has an appearance clause in his contract. Which was reported as one of the reasons our Voldemort was (and continues to be) frozen out.

Billy

Honestly Willian needs to produce otherwise I can’t see how Nelson and Pepe (I know he’s suspended). could be worse.

Voldermort

We are absolutely shocking.. everytime we get the ball we give it away.

Bergkamp2Wright

Absolute fucking dross.

We basically have no midfield or striker. WTF do they do in training?!!

Bergkamp2Wright

Are Ceballos and Xhaka even playing tonight?! Utter shit.

Billy bob

A goal down within 15 minutes!!! Gonna be a long long long winded game – tedious probably the word

Torterrier

We really are so shit. It’s really painful to watch.

Billy bob

Oh dear another crap goal conceded and I think that sums up where we are at!!! No point in staying up for this, too depressing, will watch some paint dry or a plant grow – more entertaining and/or less stressful

Tony

If Arteta is not sack after this match then I see us fighting relegation this season.

Dave

I mean, I back Arteta and hope he comes good, but we have no creativity or even structure, I wonder what we do in training? we keep doing the same, sideways passes here, there and everywhere, we’re too passive.

Attacking doesn’t mean just put 10 persons upfront, just as defending doesn’t mean put everyone in front of the keeper. We lack structure and creativity, and we’re so predictable (toss it to the wingers and cross.

Dave

We’re awful and whoever think otherwise is simply delusional. Same old story, we lack urgency, creativity and all the things we know we lack.

Don’t take me wrong, I’m behind Arteta still, but that doesn’t mean questions shouldn’t be asked or FAIR criticism shouldn’t be made.

Lacaubapepe

Honestly the sloppy goals we conceded are far less painful than the overall aimlessness in our play. Arteta is clueless! You can’t tell me that this is the best any coach could achieve with the same set of players!

Lacaubapepe

I’m no longer behind arteta. That joker will have to work harder to regain that trust.

karl

They look like it is a kick about in the park. Players don’t run to offer an option to the passer.

I guess that could be because they no the passing is so bad at the moment:-)

karl

Never seen such a timid Arsenal. We just can’t get out of passing backwards and scared to try and go past a player. No wonder Auba is never involved.

Still love wenger

This is very uninspiring,do we have a style of play?

Naked Cygan

Shambolic defending. Slow, poor passing, no movement. Areta Out….this is the same situation as Emery. This guy has no clue how to play 442 or 433. Terrible performance. Atleast change it up for fks sake.

Johnny 4 Hats

I’m speechless that a manager as erudite and intelligent as Arteta can keep putting us out like this.

Frankly it’s embarrassing. If I were the players I would ignore the tactics and just start expressing themselves.

I’m not there yet, but I’m losing faith in this “process” rapidly.

Naija gooner

My thoughts summed up…this is embarrassing

Dave

The worst is that he keeps asking for the fans and how important they’re. Don’t take me wrong, fans should support, but we know our fanbase and I’m sure they wouldn’t be happy with this brand of “football” and they will make sure they know it, adding to the pressure and make things worst

Dubai Ham

he is not very intelligent is he? banishing Ozil, probably he has pissed off a lot of the players and it is clear they don’t play for him. BTW Emery’s Villarreal are 3rd in the La Liga.

Billy bob

We desperately need Elneny and Partey in this team, without them we look worse than the normal mediocrity!!! Definitely don’t want to see Willian in an arsenal shirt ever again, need to play Nelson, Martinelli, Pepe, balogun and other players with potential and a future!!!

Deano

Dreadful first 45 minutes, let’s see if he motivate this rabble into life for the second half.

Naija gooner

Our players out yeah passing the ball like they have never never trained together

Naija gooner

How can a team give up soo much possession, lose out in 1v1s and play so incoherently

IncrediblArsenal

Only Arsenal can let the ‘second half team’ (as referred to by TV commentators) go into the break with a lead!

Arteta has to take most of the responsibility/blame at this point. His tactical discipline (or the insistence on that) seems to be only dragging the overall quality down. We have seen most of these (Arsenal) players play much better football last season.

Eche

You loaned Goeunwdouzi, you Terrria and you banished Ozil and want to rely Xhaka and Ceballos. I hope Partey is ok for the Spurs match.

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